Hello!  My name is Matthew Lutton, and I am a third year student in the Faculty of Social Sciences, majoring in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations with a minor in History at Carleton University.  I was born in Calgary, Alberta, but have lived overseas my entire life.  The countries I grew up living in for the past twenty years were the United States, Australia, Qatar, and Canada.   Living as an expatriate has given me a passion for traveling, experiencing new cultures, plus meeting interesting and unique people. 

The prospect of being able to live and work in Vietnam while gaining experience in my field of university study is an exciting opportunity.  My placement in Vietnam will be fulfilling the position of a gender assistant at Tra Vinh University.  This placement will involve supporting the Gender and Community Department.  Participating in this overseas coop placement will allow me to broaden my horizons.   It will also be an outstanding opportunity for me to explore different working methods and practice the knowledge I have gained at university to date, while gaining international and intercultural work experience.  My long-term goal is to work in an international field related to development or become a diplomat.  I also want a chance to make a difference, and the World University Service of Canada seems like a great opportunity to achieve this.  I am not sure what my first task will be in Vietnam but I am excited to find out!

 - Matthew

Hello my name is Theodore Bisserbe.  I am a 4^th year student at University of Ottawa; I am currently finishing a baccalaureat in Sociology with a minor in Globalization.  I am originally from France; I was born in Paris, June 20 1988.  I have lived in Meudon (a little town near Paris) for 14 years.  I moved to Canada, November 2^nd 2002, to go live in Ottawa with my family.  I have studied in a French high school in Ottawa, the Lycee Claudel, for 5 years.  I received a French high school diploma in 2007, when I finished high school.

During those first 5 years in Canada, I have done one summer (2005) as a volunteer at the Royal Ottawa Hospital, where I’ve worked at the hospital café, where I’ve learned to speak English. In 2007, I applied to the University of Ottawa, for a baccalaureat in General Arts; I was accepted in 2^nd year, because I already had credits for the 1^st year with my classes at Lycee Claudel. After my first year, I have decided to change my baccalaureat in General Arts into a baccalaureat in Sociology with a minor in Globalization. Since, I’ve switched programs; I really enjoy my classes in University. I got more involve in volunteers activities, especially at the International House ( a club made for international students, to make sure that they are well integrated and also who’s organizing activities that promote multiculturalism and promote other cultures), and with the student federation, to help out to organize events and to make sure that everybody has a good and safe time. I’ve also worked during the summer in 2008 and 2009, at University of Ottawa, for Info Service (where I was helping first year’s student to register for their classes, to pay their fees and get there student’s cards or their student’s bus pass).

I’ve learned a lot in University, with the classes I took, but also during my volunteer’s hours and my working hours and also by meeting new people in classes, around the campus, during events organized by the University. I choose to go to do an internship in Vietnam this summer, to explore a part of the world that I don’t know. I want to explore a country different from where I lived before, to find a new way of living and to learn about a new culture, a new way of seeing the world. Also to be able to share my knowledge with others and share an experience with people from a different background them me. My main goal is to learn and give as much as I can during my internship in Vietnam and be able to make new friends and possible contacts for the future.

Theodore Bisserbe

I feel very privileged to be given this opportunity to help make a positive contribution to the partner organization and I am sure that in return I will learn a ton from them. I expect to be challenged, both personally and professionally, and hope to immerse myself in Vietnamese society and have a lot of fun learning about the country and culture.

Until I get to Vietnam, I am counting down the days until my flight leaves from Ottawa for what I am anticipating will be a memorable and thrilling adventure. I expect this placement will be a once in a lifetime opportunity and something I will talk about for years to come.

Hopefully, my next blog entry will contain details of my initiation to Vietnamese society and undoubtedly will provide a lively account of my adjustment to the hustle and bustle and warm temperatures of Hanoi from the calm and relatively cold temperatures of Ottawa.

Stay tuned!

Rebecca

I am mostly excited to eat pho and bun everyday as well as see how another government functions.  I think this opportunity is fantastic experience as it will not only provide differing international experience in the workplace, but also with the government and a new culture.

Khmer dancers about to perform for International Women's Day.

Sussuday (bonjour en Khmer)!

En ce moment, je devrais être en train de rédiger mon rapport de stage, mais je profite de mes tendances à la procrastination pour réfléchir à ce que j’ai appris pendant mon stage à l’université Tra Vinh. D’abord, ce qui m’a marqué, ce sont les différences culturelles – tant de petites choses qui sont différentes, selon qu’on est Canadienne ou Vietnamienne. Par exemple, il y a « la culture d’être avertie de tout versus la culture de devoir demander afin d’obtenir de l’information ». Tellement de choses se développent à TVU, et j’en ignore la moitié. C’était difficile pour moi au départ, parce que je suis un peu « control freak » (je m’excuse de mes erreurs de français, ça fait 3 mois que je ne parle qu’en anglais). J’aime savoir, à l’avance si possible, ce qui se passe dans mon milieu de travail. Mais souvent, je n’ai pas eu beaucoup de préavis (pour les réunions ou les entrevues, par exemple). La barrière linguistique a évidemment fait que je suis devenue très dépendante envers mes deux collègues vietnamiennes, pour tout m’expliquer ou pour compléter des démarches administratives. Bref, j’ai dû me faire à l’idée que je ne suis pas capable de tout contrôler et que c’est correct comme ça.

Néanmoins, mon expérience au Gender and Community Department a été très positive. J’ai aidé a planifier une Journée internationale des femmes réussie; j’ai parti un club d’anglais pour étudiants khmer; j’ai fait une douzaine d’entrevues et une demi-douzaine d’observations sur l’égalité des sexes dans les classes universitaires et dans le marché du travail; et j’ai appris une foule de choses sur moi-même et sur les aspects pratico-pratiques du développement au Vietnam.

Il ne me reste plus qu’une semaine au Vietnam, et déjà je veux y revenir. L’accueil que j’ai eu a été si chaleureux et les gens que j’ai rencontrés m’ont tellement plu. Malgré la barrière culturelle et linguistique (sans compter les autres différences – religieuses, politiques, etc.), j’ai pu tisser des liens avec mes collègues de travail. Tous les jours, peu à peu, nous nous sommes apprivoisés, à la manière du renard et du Petit Prince. Je n’oublierai jamais ces trois mois au Vietnam…et toutes ces images qui resteront gravées dans ma mémoire. Le temps qui file me rappelle une foule de petits moments : les grands-parents si attentifs envers leurs petits-enfants. Une petite fille qui s’assoit à ma table pour compter de 1 à 10 avec moi (en anglais et en vietnamien). Les enfants de l’orphelinat qui ont passé une heure à nous chanter des chansons, pleins de joie de vivre. Les chapeaux coniques ou non la, si utiles pour protéger du soleil et de la pluie. Les étudiants Khmer en train de répéter leur prochaine danse classique juste à l’extérieur de mon bureau. Les sourires et les rires, « Hello-what’s-your-name », la couturière qui m’a fait un ao dai, les septuagénaires et leurs billets de loterie, la pleine lune au-dessus des cocotiers. Je remercie sincèrement tout ce beau monde – ainsi que mon réseau à Gatineau-Ottawa – de m’avoir permis de vivre cette expérience inoubliable.

-Tu n’es pas d’ici, dit le renard, que cherches-tu!
-Je cherche les hommes, dit le petit prince. Qu’est-ce que signifie « apprivoiser » ?
-Les hommes, dit le renard, ils ont des fusils et ils chassent. C’est bien gênant! Ils élèvent aussi des poules. C’est leur seul intérêt. Tu cherches des poules ?
-Non, dit le petit prince. Je cherche des amis. Qu’est-ce que signifie « apprivoiser »?
-C’est une chose trop oubliée, dit le renard. Ça signifie « créer des liens… »
-Créer des liens ?
-Bien sûr, dit le renard. Tu n’es encore pour moi qu’un petit garçon tout semblable à cent mille petits garçons.
Et je n’ ai pas besoin de toi. Et tu n’a pas besoin de moi non plus. Je ne suis pour toi qu’un renard semblable à cent mille renards. Mais, si tu m’apprivoises, nous aurons besoin l’un de l’autre. Tu seras pour moi unique au monde. Je serai pour toi unique au monde…
-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Je me présente: je m’appelle Mia et je suis une étudiante de quatrième année en développement international à l’Université d’Ottawa. J’adore voyager et depuis mon secondaire, je m’implique dans des organismes de droits humains (tels qu’Amnistie internationale et Oxfam international). C’est pour ces raisons – purement égoïstes, je vous le concède – que j’ai choisi d’étudier en “DVM” et de faire un stage avec EUMC au Vietnam.

Mon stage se déroule avec le Gender and Community Department à Tra Vinh University (TVU), dans le delta du Mékong, à 200 km environ au sud de Ho Chi Minh-ville (aussi connu sous l’ancien nom de Saigon). Mon rôle en tant que stagiaire est, d’abord, de faire de la recherche sur les questions d’ethnicité et de sexe dans le marché du travail; en deuxième lieu, d’aider à planifier des ateliers de sensibilisation aux enjeux de sexe dans le domaine de l’éducation; et en troisième lieu, de partir un club d’anglais pour les étudiants d’origine Khmer.

Je suis au Vietnam depuis déjà un mois (ou presque). A date, je n’ai eu que de belles expériences! J’ai eu l’occasion de m’entretenir avec des professeurs et responsables de départements à TVU pour leur poser des questions sur l’équilibre des sexes. J’ai également assisté à de nombreuses célébrations pour le Nouvel an lunaire, aussi connu sous le nom de Têt (l’année du Tigre commence le 14 février). Je n’ai pas encore pu partir le club d’anglais, car les étudiants sont présentement en vacances pour le Nouvel an. Par contre, lorsqu’on revient de vacances dans 2 semaines, le club d’anglais devrait débuter et, de plus, nous aurons moins de deux semaines pour planifier notre Journée internationale des femmes (c’est une fête nationale au Vietnam).

Outre le travail, j’ai voyagé un peu (je reviens tout juste d’une fin de semaine de tourisme et de magasinage à Saigon) et je dois vous avouer que le Vietnam est un pays mille fois plus beau que je le pensais! Les gens sont super sympathiques et la nourriture est incroyable. Je crois que mon idée d’un « pays en développement» était vraiment biaisée (par exemple, pauvreté = misère atroce). Le Vietnam est un pays pauvre – par exemple, les professeurs à l’université gagent moins de 100$US par mois – mais qui se développe très rapidement. Même si c’est une société patriarcale et hiérarchisée, les femmes sont très actives au plan social et économique. Il reste toutefois des défis, surtout pour les gens provenant de minorités ethniques, qui forment – en général – la tranche la plus pauvre et la plus marginalisée de la société vietnamienne (le Vietnam a 54 différents groupes ethniques).

My name is Rebecca Haynes, and I am a student attending University of Victoria in Canada. I grew up in British Columbia, Canada with my mom, dad, and sister Jennifer. After high school, I decided to do a year abroad and become an au pair in Paris. After that I came back to Victoria and got my diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management. From there I was able to go into my third year in Business Commerce at the University of Victoria. I am now doing my exchange term in Oslo, Norway at the Norwegian School of Business Management. This opportunity has given me the chance to experience a different culture, study at a distinguished business university, and travel around Europe.

             I have always had a passion for travelling, experiencing new cultures, and meeting interesting and unique people in those different countries. This among other reasons is why I decided to apply for Students Without Borders. I also wanted the opportunity to volunteer. WUSC seemed like a great opportunity, and I liked how it focused on providing quality education for all children, and how to overcome local challenges.  I felt that with he position as Program Assistant I could apply what I have learned from my university background and put my skills and knowledge into action. Hopefully, I will also learn and take away a great deal while I am there, and gain a better understanding of the Vietnamese culture and way of life. I am very excited to go on this adventure of a lifetime.  I hope to meet some amazing people, and make a positive impact in the community.

Hanoi is a rapidly growing city, with a current population of about 6 million people. People say that there are about 4 million motorbikes! The infrastructure has not been able to keep up with the population growth, and this is evident to me where I live. The two-lane street becomes very conjested during the afternoon rush hour, and as I look around and see many of the people wearing masks across their mouths and noses due to the pollution being emitted from all those cars and motorbikes, I wonder what this city will be like 10 or 15 years from now. All of these vechicles are in addition to the myriad of activity happening on the “sidewalks,” (aka motorbike parking lot) which include people sitting on little plastic stools eating, individuals selling meat and produce, women plucking feathers from chickens, men playing checkers, among a dozen other things. There is not much walking happening on the sidewalks! Crossing the busy streets each morning and afternoon is sometimes a frightening challenge in itself, as there are few crosswalks with lights. One simply walks into traffic and dodges the oncoming cars, buses, and motorbikes! My roommate, Niema, and myself have seen a few accidents since we’ve been in Vietnam. We try to be as vigilant as possible!

Hanoi is a big city, but it’s not particularly known for its nightlife. Nonetheless, there are places to hang out and a variety of things to do. I have met other foreigners who are studying, doing research, or working in the country. I’ve also met Vietnames who have been able to introduce me further to the culture and way of life. The Old Quarter of Hanoi is the centre of the city, and it’s always a fun and interesting place to eat, shop, and people-watch. Hoan Kiem Lake lies in the Old Quarter, with a pagoda in the centre on a small island. Many couples get wedding photos done by this lake! Families picnic next to it! Overall, it’s a place for anyone and everyone, tourist and local. My roommate and I enjoy spending time in this part of town with the people we’ve met thus far.

I have had the opportunity to take two short trips outside of Hanoi. My first trip was to Sa Pa, a 12 hour train ride north, near the Chinese border. In Sa Pa town we stayed at a hotel with a great view of the tree-covered mountains, it was truly beautiful! We did some hiking with a H’mong guide, the H’mong being one of five tribes which live in the northern part of the country. She was a fascinating woman with a good grasp of English who enjoyed kidding with us. Many of the local people are used to visitors, and they’re savvy users of the internet and cell phones. But they still live in fairly traditional ways. It’s an interesting, perhaps a bit sad, example of how the modern world has reached essentially every part of the world.

I have also traveled to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island. Ha Long Bay is well known, and has been declared a UN World Heritage Site. About 2,000 limestone karsts are scattered throughout the water. We spent a night on a junk boat and it was nice to be able to sit back on the boat and view this unique place. Cat Ba Island is the biggest island in the area, made up of limestone mountains, with a small town on the coast. From the shore we looked out on a floating fishing village. We did some hiking up to a lookout point with a great view. At the top of this mountain was a very rusty tower with steep stairs and many tourists climbing up and down. I went to the top feeling a bit nervous, took a couple of quick photos and then made my way back down. There are also a couple of beaches on Cat Ba Island, and I took a swim in the sea. Both of these trips were nice breaks from Hanoi, where the crowds and smog and noise can make it difficult to feel relaxed at times!

I am sure that the second half of my time here will prove to be as interesting and challenging as the first. I hope to learn more about Viet Nam and more about myself in the process.

My name is Amanda Nolan, and I am a new graduate from the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba. My bachelor’s degree focused on issues related to immigrants and refugees, community development, and international social work. I have also taken courses in international development during my undergraduate career.
I have always lived in Winnipeg, and in the last couple of years I have had the opportunity to take two, month-long trips to different regions of Africa and learn first-hand about development work. I am now eager to pursue an opportunity to exercise some of my skills and knowledge in an environment that is challenging and encourages cross-cultural cooperation. The Students Without Borders program seems like a great opportunity to volunteer as part of an established organization that is concerned with promoting development. I will be volunteering in Hanoi, Vietnam, with the Hanoi School of Public Health, acting as an English teacher for three months. As Hanoi is a city of more than 6 million citizens, I expect it to be an overwhelming and busy place but I hope that I will come to feel comfortable there fairly quickly!
Through this internship, I would like to gain further proficiency in working cross-culturally, and I would like to gain an even better understanding of the challenges and successes experienced by those working in the field of development. I hope to gain more feelings of confidence and independence by establishing myself in a new and very different place. I am also eager to learn more about Vietnam, its people, and its rich culture and storied history. I feel like I can contribute some knowledge and experience in the area of international development and working with individuals from various backgrounds. I am keenly interested in learning from local experts working for WUSC and those working at the Hanoi School of Public Health. I feel as though I bring a willingness to support the organization and the students I will be working with in whichever ways that will be most beneficial. I have also developed active listening skills that I feel enable me to communicate well with others. I hope that I prove to be an effective English teacher, and I also hope to pick up some of the Vietnamese language so that I can learn alongside the students!

Hey readers, it’s been 2 months since my last blog. I’ll try and fill you in with the deets. My experience here in Hanoi has been a huge learning experience and a definitely a memorable one. I’ve had a chance to explore this crazy country from north to south; mountain and sea. I’ve met alot of interesting people along the way learning something new from all of them. Simple conversations with strangers can be the most unique and perspective changing discussions you will ever have here.

Volunteering at WUSC has allowed me to see different motivations, paces, customs, and cultures in the workplace. Especially here in Vietnam where relationships are everything. It is more often than not that you will be more than just a colleague with the employees, but a true friend. Patience is definitely a virtue when entering another country and hoping that you will be able to make immediate change. Things will definitely not go as you had planned, but for me, those are the best times. We learn to adapt, while at the same time trying to advance. I feel that everyone at WUSC Vietnam has enabled me to grow in the right direction and am thankful for that. I’ve found that communication is key, especially in a place where there may be language barriers.

There will be times when you absolutely love your time here, but there are also times when all you can think about is going home. I think thats part of the whole experience and the reason why we come in the first place. To see the world in a different light and to try and understand why they see things this way. I have not fully understood the Vietnamese people, but I have a better understanding. In my opinion, the people here are eager to progress and are very open to the rapid change they are facing. It seems that all people, young and old, are constantly working. Many people from my generation realize that advancing their education opens many doors for them.

I hope the best for this country and that they are provided with the proper legislature, infrastructure, and guidance that such a young country needs. I’d love to come back here in 5-10 years and see the Vietnam flourishing as I have envisioned today.

Always adapt, never forget your own values